Stock feeder



June 12. 1928.

C. BU RN ETT STOCK FEEDER Filed Sept. 7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3mm Charley fl r l 61cm n June 12, 1928. v

C. BU ETT 1 1673,] STOCK FEEDER I Filed Se 7' .1926

. sheets- 2 3m 2, Charley Zu Patented June 12, 1928.

CHARLEY BURNETT, OF WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE,

PATENT OFFICE.

OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OTIS JAY BURNETT AND ONE-HALF TO HOWARD WILLIAM BURNETT, BOTH OF WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, OHIO.

STOCK FEEDER.

Application filed September This invention relates to improvements in stock feedersof the type employed by hog raisers for feeding their live stock, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a hog or stock feeder of simple and improved construction and one wherein the passage of the feed from the hopper of the apparatus to the feeding troughs ispositive and assured.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a hog feeder of the type specified wherein waste or loss of the feed delivered to the troughs is prevented and one wherein the movements of the feeding live stock will serve to operate the agitating devices employed for effecting the positive advance of the feed through the hopper of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a hog feeder of staunch and durable construction and wherein the hopper is pivotally suspended for oscillation above the platform of the feeder, the arrangement of the hopper being such with relation to the feeding troughs of the apparatus that. as the stock is being fed the hopper will be constantly agitated by the movements of the stock to assist inagitat-ing the materials contained within the hopper and to cause such materials to traverse the hopper Without stoppage or obstruction, and various features of construction and design hereinafter more specifically set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which similar characters of reference denote like and corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved feeder comprising the present inventron.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough, and

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an agitator used in connection with the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the platform or feed deck of my improved hog feeder. Preferably, this platform or deck is made up of a plurality of transversely extending board members placed side by side and se= pension from the bar 8.

7, 1926. SerialNo. 133,763.

cured to a pair of longitudinally extending runners 2-2 also, secured to the runners at the ends of the platform liare' upstanding side walls 33, which are reinforced along the vertical edges thereof by, means of added bars a and also through the medium of metallic reinforcing braces 5, which have their upper ends. connected with the bars at and their lower ends with the outer portions of the runners 2. The upper edges of the side walls ii are additionally reinforced by connecting therewith a rectangular horizontally disposed wooden frame which includes transversely extending members 6 and longitudinally extending members 7.

Connected with the members 6 of the frame and extending horizontally-and longitudinally of the feeder in the general plane of the frame and in the center of the feeder is a magazine or hopper supporting bar 8 and which also serves to strengthen and stabilize the construction of the feeder generally. The central portion of the bar 8 is connected by means of a vertically disposed tie bolt 9 with the platform 1, the said lgolt providing a central support for the The, bar 8 in this instance is provided with a plurality of depending bolts 10, which are threaded at their lower ends for the reception of crowned nuts 11, which are engaged by angle brackets 12 carried in connection with the inner walls of feed receiving hoppers 13, the nuts 11 serving to support said hoppers and to permit of their pivotal sus- It will be understood that the openings in the angle brackets for the reception of the bolts 10 are of sufiicient size to permit of the desired degree of oscillation on the part of the hoppers.

Each hopper is formed to include vertical side walls 14 and with downwardly converging front walls 15, corner bars 16 being provided to facilitate and strengthen the connection between the adjoining edges of the walls 14 and 15. The lower edges of the walls 15 are slightly separated to provide an outlet in the bottom of each hopper which is disposed an adjustable distance above the upper surface of the feeding deck 1, so that the feed placed within the hopper may gravitate downwardly and be deposited upon the upper surface of the deck where it is accesanimals. The opposite of the deck 1 are prosible to the feeding longitudinal edges v sidedwith upstanding ,rails 17 which serve to provide feeding trough-s on opposite sides of the hoppers, and permit of the maximum number of animals to feed simultaneously. he troughs are normally covered by means of lids 18, which are hinged as at 19 to the walls of the hopper and extend over the rails 17 a suflicient distance so that they may be engaged and'elevated by the feeding ani- 'lic guides 20 which are adapted for the slidiii) ' hoppers will beseen that the of" the hopper,

able reception of upturned flanges 21 provided on) a pair of sliding cover plates 22, the latter being preferably of corrugated form soas to withstand the weather, to overcome buckling and bending and to retain their positions covering the open top of the against the action of wind pressure.

To further assist in the positive advance of the feed through the hop-per the bar 8 has connected therewith for each hopper a depending chain 523, which has its lower portion connected with a bail" 24 pivotally mounted as at 25 in connection with the platform '1, the bar 8 being provided with hooks 26 with which the end links of the chain '23 are connected, and

p by this arrangement the effective length of each chain may be varied at will. By reference to Figure 3 it bail normally occupies center of the lower portion where it serves in the capacity 'of 'a stop to limit the movement of the hopper when swinging back and forth.

a p osition in the This movement maybe varied by controlling the slack in the chain 23, since if the. latter is quite loose the extent of oscillatory movement allowed the hopper is appreciably reater than'the movement of the hopper will be when the chain is comparatively taut.

Also, the chain 23 and the bail 24 associated therewith servein the capacity of agitators keeping the. feed in the hopper agitated and 5 in a moving state upon movement on the part of the hopper. This construction has been found to be considerably more effective than the toothed rock shaft hitherto largeiy employed in this capacity. An additional agitator 27 may be employed if desired and rests upon the upper surface of the feeding 'ma't'erial and is supported from thebar 8 by a chain 29.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a stock feeder for farm purposes of exceptionally strong and durable construction and wherein cioggrng. of the feeding material during its passage'through the llOiDPelSOIl the apparatus isparticularly avoided. The construc tion described may be formed to include one or more of the hopper units depending upon the capacity which the stock raiser desires. It. will be observed that the feeder is so constructed as to fairly protect the feeding material from the effects of weather and moisture and, moreover, prevents the: animals while feeding from spilling the feeding materials on the ground. These features cooperatively produce a feeder which is economical to operate and not likely to become: out of order.

er part sa-id chain, saidv chain. serving to limit the extent of oscillation of said hopper and to provide: an agitator for promotmg the flbw of material through said hopper. 21 In a hog feeder, a piatform, a frame arranged above said platform, a hopper pivotall y carried by said frame, said hopper including downwardly converging side walls terminating immediately abdve said platform, said platform being terminated to either side of said. hopper to provide a feeding deck, pivoted lids carried by said hoppeer to cover'sai'd feeding deck, and a flexible agitator mounted said hopper and serving to limit the swinging movement of the latter.

In testimony CHARLEY B NETT.

a hopper,

w-liereofl affix m signature. 

